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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644614">At the Café</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowingMechanicalHeart/pseuds/GlowingMechanicalHeart'>GlowingMechanicalHeart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, Mellow Sandor, POV Sandor Clegane, Pre-Relationship, Writer Sansa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:40:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowingMechanicalHeart/pseuds/GlowingMechanicalHeart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sandor had also started putting ‘Little bird’ on her order and, he had given her an extra lemon bar here and there. The bright smile she always gave him made him feel warm inside and nearly made him swoon. So much for him being cold and opposed to love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>At the Café</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlefeather/gifts">Littlefeather</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For my big sister. Hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor spotted his favorite customer coming in.</p>
<p>Sansa Stark, of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, had been coming to The Three Lions coffee shop without failing for the past three weeks. Near month, really. She always came in, laptop in a pink bag and always impeccably dressed.</p>
<p>The café always had people, being near the university made sure of that. Sandor took his classes and then came straight to work, and Sansa was another student. She was studying literature, specializing in myths and legends of Westeros. And she had been daily, and even if it was for one cup of latter (be it hot or cold). And she was always nice and pleasant, she had made an effort to befriend no only him, but Bronn and Hot Pie. </p>
<p>And Sandor would be lying if he didn’t say that he was, in fact, looking forward seeing her. Her visits, which lasted usually an hour, were the bright spots of his day. He had began calling her Little bird, because as soon as she formed in the queue to order, she would begin humming, from songs that he could recognize as love ballads or songs he had never heard before.</p>
<p>Sansa had been shy and reserved at first with him, Sandor couldn’t exactly blamed her. He was taller than she was head and shoulders, he had the scar on his face and he was built like a house. Overall, he knew very well that he gave an imposing and unfriendly impression. But Sansa was always polite, always inquiring about his day and small things about himself.</p>
<p>Once Sansa placed her order, usually a latte of some sort and a lemon bar, she would go and sit within sight of the cash register and Sandor could keep on looking at her. She would get her laptop and work, curiosity had once gotten the best of him, turns out, she was writing a romance book. He didn’t understand nor know the legend in which her book was based, but nevertheless, he encouraged her and wished her well.</p>
<p>Sandor had also started putting ‘Little bird’ on her order and, he had given her an extra lemon bar here and there. The bright smile she always gave him made him feel warm inside and nearly made him swoon. So much for him being cold and opposed to love.</p>
<p>And today, as Sansa opened the door, and smiled at him, Sandor knew that he was doomed. Sansa formed herself in line, there were only two others in front of her, which Sandor hurried over so they could move away and give her his attention.</p>
<p>“Morning Little bird,” Sandor spoke at her, loud enough to be heard over the constant jazz music that was on the café. “What will be this time?”</p>
<p>Sansa beamed at him, damned it, she looked so pretty dressed in a pale pink dress, hair loose and flats. “Hazelnut latte please Sandor, and oh! A bar of lemon bar and a cinnamon cookie package!”</p>
<p>Sandor nodded and marked it on the register, “Someone’s having a sweet tooth.” He finally had gotten to where he could joke and she would know it was a joke. “That’d be 6 on the dot.”</p>
<p>Sansa pulled a ten and gave it to him, and when he gave her her change, she dropped it smiling to the tip jar. “How’s work coming along today?”</p>
<p>Sandor shrugged, and moved prepared her order, “Not so bad, you arrived before the rush today. So you get some peace for your work, how’s the novel coming along?”</p>
<p>“It’s coming,” Sansa lifted her shoulders, but a frown came to her face. “I’m having some difficulty with a character, who knew that characters took a life of their own and made demands?”</p>
<p>“Not me,” Sandor, who had never written anything besides educational papers, was puzzled, but kept working until Sansa’s latte was done, then walked to the display and grabbed both the bar and the cookie package. “But I’m sure you’ll get a hang of it.”</p>
<p>Sansa beamed at him as he placed her order in front of her. “Thank you, Sandor!” She took her order, and made her way to her usual table, she placed her thing down and then pulled her laptop, she opened it and began her work.</p>
<p>Sandor watched her for a few moments, then shook his head and began to check for anything else to do. He had not lied that Sansa had arrived before the work rushed, so he checked the bakery items, and cleaned the area around the register and made sure the hot water for tea was ready. And when he finished right on time, for as soon as he finished, customers hit at the rush hour. He had to concentrated, but he still managed to cast some looks at Sansa, watched her from the corner of his eye as she sip her latte and she had already finished her bar and was munching on her cookies.</p>
<p>Once the rush hour passed, Sandor was tired and worn. “You alright Sandor?” Sansa asked, and when he looked around, he realized that they were the only two of them in the café. </p>
<p>“Rush hour took more out of me than expected,” Sandor admitted. “They left me to man the café alone today.”</p>
<p>Sandor watched as Sansa frowned, and looked around, noticing that they were alone. She then pointed at the chair in front of her, “Can you sit? Even for a moment?”</p>
<p>Sandor hesitated, but then, he pulled the chair and sat down, “A minute,” he grumbled, but already feeling light at the thought of being with Sansa for a few minutes. “Boss didn’t get an extra hand for me today.”</p>
<p>“That’s not fair to you,” Sansa frowned. “Who owns this place?”</p>
<p>“Cersei Lannister.” Sandor didn’t notice that Sansa had frozen in her spot. “And she put a lackey of hers as manager, he’s never here either.”</p>
<p>“Mother of Joffrey Baratheon?” Sandor looked up, Sansa’s voice sounded much lower than her usual chirpy tone. </p>
<p>“I think so,” Sandor didn’t keep up with that. But he recalled Cersei speaking of her ‘Joff’. “Why?”</p>
<p>“I had the… ‘privilege’ of dating Joffrey. He’s absolutely horrid, and Cersei too, so I’m sorry Sandor, you deserve better.”</p>
<p>Oh. Of course, because nice as Sansa was, she would gravitate towards handsome men. It’s stupid, why should he ever think he’d had a chance with her. Sandor stood, fortunately, there was a client walking in, he rushed to help tend to him. It was a good thing the man saved him before he made a fool out of himself by asking Sansa out.</p>
<p>Sandor did his best to ignore Sansa, but he couldn’t, because he could feel her gaze on him. Then, three other customers came in and he could pretend to give them his attention, but he knew that he was in a bad mood and it was leaking to his work, because the customers seemed to be unusually polite.</p>
<p>Sandor had thought of giving Sansa another lemon bar, but before he could, he saw her pick her things up. Balls, she was leaving already. Then, much to his surprise, she approached the front where he stood behind the register. She smiled at him, “I know this isn’t normal,” she told him. “But I wanted to ask if you’d like to go out in a date?”</p>
<p>Sandor froze. He couldn’t possibly have heard right. Sansa Stark, woman of his dreams did just not ask him out. But then, realized that something was up, because she nearly panic and began to back peddle.  “Fine.” He managed to get out. </p>
<p>It was Sansa’s turn to freeze and give him a doubting look. “Are you sure? I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s fine.”</p>
<p>He shook his head, “No,” damn it all to hell, his throat was dried and he was barely managing to utter single syllables words. “I mean, I’d like to.”</p>
<p>Sansa’s face cleared, “Oh! Great then! When are you free?”</p>
<p>“Saturday after 3.” Sandor’s heart beat loud, he was sure that Sansa could hear it. “Anywhere you want to go is fine.” Good, he managed to speak this time without sounding too desperate.</p>
<p>“Movies?” Sansa asked, a small smile on her face. “Maybe something after?”</p>
<p>“Movies and something sounds good.” Oh what a bloody idiot he was. Sandor knew he sounded like a fool, but truth be told, it wasn’t very often that girls like Sansa asked him out. One had asked him out for a bet. But he held no such fear in regards of Sansa, because she was actually a nice person who treated people with respect.</p>
<p>Sansa beamed at him, “Great! Then, how about we see at the movies at, say 5? That way you have time to do whatever you need without rushing?”</p>
<p>Sandor nodded quite frantically, “Yes, that works.”</p>
<p>“Excellent! Then, I’ll see you tomorrow Sandor, I have some things to take care off, bye!” With that Sansa rushed out of the café, not giving him the chance to say goodbye. </p>
<p>But he was happy, and Sandor knew himself to know that he was grinning like a loon. For once, he didn’t care.</p>
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